Mahmoud Abbas has said he will seek non-member status later this month; Washington prefers to see the sides back at the negotiating table

United Nations headquarters in New York City. (CC BY-WorldIslandInfo.com/Flickr/File)

The United States is attempting to derail a Palestinian bid to achieve non-member UN status later this month, according to the US State Department.

Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Monday that “we continue to make clear that we believe that the only realistic path for the Palestinians to achieve statehood is through direct negotiations,” according to AFP.

“We are working intensively through the Quartet and directly with Israelis and Palestinians to continue to encourage them to come back to the table,” she added. “All we can do is push them. We cannot force them. They’ve got to make the decision for peace. They’ve got to make the decision to come back to the table.”

In September 2011, Abbas attempted to gain full-member status for Palestine, but the application was withdrawn after the US threatened to veto the bid in the UN Security Council, whose approval is a necessary step for full-member status. The PA did not have the necessary support in the 15-member Security Council to force a US veto.

By signing up, you agree to our
terms
You hereby accept The Times of Israel Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and you agree to receive the latest news & offers from The Times of Israel and its partners or ad sponsors.